Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I am in Taxi cab mama mode right now- you know, constantly running kids here and there. The crock pot is so helpful during these crazy weeks. I was schlepping around Pinterest and found a recipe for Ranch Chicken Tacos, but the directions were for the stove top. Thankfully I read the comments and some very nice person gave the directions for turning this into a crock pot meal. It had great flavor and the leftovers were awesome the next day. This is a keeper for my kitchen!

Ranch Chicken Tacos- Crockpot

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts

1 package Ranch dressing mix

1 package taco seasoning

1 can chicken broth

Place chicken in crock pot and sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, toss to coat. Pour 3/4 of the broth in the crock pot and cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and return to the crockpot. Stir in the ranch packet and let it cook for 30 minutes more on low. Serve with all your favorite taco toppings.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

It was finally fall-ish enough for me to start making some dishes that we enjoy in the cooler months. We decided to have a Chicken Pot Pie. Yumm! Creamy filling full of chicken, carrots, celery and onions with a flaky crust. So good! I have to give all credit to the Pioneer Woman and her first cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks. She lays it all out for you- step by step instructions that make this a no fail dish.

Chicken Pot Pie

3 celery stalks, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 Tbsp butter

2 cups chopped cooked chicken- I use a rotisserie chicken, so easy!

1 cup flour

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 cup heavy cream

1tsp ground thyme

1 tsp kosher salt

Pepper to taste

Store bought pie crusts- 1 box

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the veggies and saute until they are translucent. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and chicken and stir to combine. Cook and stir for several minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add the bouillon cube. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour in the cream and stir. Lower the heat to low and let the mixture simmer until it has become thickened. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. In a glass pie dish, place the first of your pie crusts in the bottom of the pie dish. Spoon your filling into your prepared pie pan. Place your second pie crust on top of your pie and crimp the edges. Cut vent holes in the top of the pie. Place on a cookie sheet so you won't be scrubbing your oven from spilled filling. Bake in a 400° oven for 30 minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown. Remove and let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sometimes when I am really organized and really on my game, I will make a HUGE meal and then use the leftovers in other recipes during the week. Today I made a ham- a really big ham, so big that I even froze some of the meat! In our house when you have ham, you must have scalloped potatoes. I have to share this recipe because it is so yummy! These potatoes are cheesy, flavorful and, did I mention they are cheesy? We love cheese here! Try these out the next time you have ham or pork chops or whatever, these will be memorable!

Spray a 2 qt. casserole dish, set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and let it cook for a minute. Pour in milk, add garlic, salt and cayenne. Stir well until well combined. Reduce heat and add 1 cup of the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated. Remove from heat. In your casserole dish, place a layer of the potatoes and then sprinkle with the onion. Spoon some of the cheese sauce over the layer. Repeat until your dish is nearly full, ending with cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and the paprika. Bake uncovered in a 350° oven for 1 hour